What to do in Panarea

Anyone who writes Panarea off as an island of aperitifs has never set foot on the summit trail: from up there you see Basiluzzo and the cone of Stromboli on one side, Salina, Lipari and the plume of Vulcano's crater on the other.

The rock amphitheatre below the prehistoric village of Capo Milazzese: the most photographed cove in the archipelago.

Panarea's only true sandy beach, twenty minutes on foot from the port, on the way to Cala Junco.

It's the question that decides the holiday, and almost nobody asks it before booking. There is no right answer for everyone: there is a right answer for what you came to do.

In 1949 two crews filmed simultaneously in the same archipelago, over a love affair gone wrong. Then Antonioni, Troisi, Moretti and, last year, Christopher Nolan. Where they filmed, and what you can see.

In spring 2025 Christopher Nolan brought Matt Damon to Lipari, Vulcano and Basiluzzo to film the return of Odysseus. It wasn't a convenient choice: for Homer, these islands were the kingdom of Aeolus. Where he filmed, and what you can see yourself.

Seven islands, and they are not interchangeable. Choose badly and you'll end up on Alicudi looking for a restaurant, or on Panarea in August looking for silence. For each one: who it suits, how long you need, and what not to expect.

The Aeolians are the reason many people choose this coast. Day trips work — provided you pick the right island and the right timetable.